Is there any plan to open a Hebrew section? it would be really great to add Hebrew besides Greek and Latin .. I searched this forum before I create this thread and I didn't find any previous post rising this point ..

I would welcome such a forum, but I don't see it happening any time soon. While Hebrew is assuredly a classical language, it isn't part of the Classical Tradition proper (at least in Western Europe).

I've seen suggestions for Sanskrit and various ancient Indo-European languages get shot down here. I think it best to keep the scope of Textkit limited, because its strength seems to lie in its solidarity/unity. Adding a dozen subforums of various languages would probably leave us scattered. Also, ideologically, it seems the forum would have to either open the door to all linguistic traditions if it started making exceptions.

On the plus side, I bet there are a lot of good Hebrew forums out there that I know absolutely nothing about. (I'm slowly working my way through an introduction to Biblical Hebrew, so suggestions would be welcome!)

thesaurus, Thanks so much for your reply .. It's true that opening a Hebrew forum will open the door to add dozens of languages .. but the thing is, this forum is really based on a solid ground that hard to find in any other forum .. anyhow ..

Erm, Regarding the Biblical Hebrew, I would suggest you to memorize full texts by heart .. it seems to be crazy but take it from me as a person who learned 3 foreign languages .. this method will help you to master the pronunciation and remember the words .. for example

I started learning Hebrew by memorizing Bereshit Perek Aleph (Genesis chapter 1) by hearing a native Sephardi narrator .. after a week I picked up the taste of the language .. and I read the text front of my Hebrew professor and he said: "If I didn't know you personally, I would think you are a native speaker, your pronunciation is just perfect".

Now, it helped me in knowing the proper way to pronounce new words I have never read before and pronouncing the words I memorized earlier in different verses in the OT as a native speaker ..

Right now, I don't remember the texts I memorized in Genesis, but when I read them, I pronounce them like a native speaker.

If you need any further help, please do not hesitate to send me messages

MiguelM wrote:Can we not have a sort of "Other Ancient Languages" board where Hebrew/Sanskrit/etc could be discussed without entering into (potentially divisive) super-sectioning?

I totally agree with your suggestion. We can have one board for all other ancient languages ..

Lex wrote:Why not just discuss Hebrew, Sanskrit, etc., in the Open Board? Then if there is enough traffic, maybe The Powers That Be will decide to make another board to clear the traffic out of the Open Board.

that's possible, but I don't think it will make a big difference, so why not opening one for all other ancient languages .. so people know where to look for what they want ..

I would be very keen on a biblical hebrew board .i have just started learning this language using Weingreen's Hebrew Grammar (2nd Ed). But what about font issues? I struggle enough with the greek as it is

Kasper wrote:I would be very keen on a biblical hebrew board .i have just started learning this language using Weingreen's Hebrew Grammar (2nd Ed). But what about font issues? I struggle enough with the greek as it is

Hey Kasper,indeed having a Biblical Hebrew board would help a lot of people here in this forum. I hope you're doing good in learning Hebrew. If you need any help please let me know by sending me a pm. or maybe you can write it in a new topic here in the open board so the moderators see the demand of a Biblical Hebrew board and finally give in

Kasper wrote:I would be very keen on a biblical hebrew board .i have just started learning this language using Weingreen's Hebrew Grammar (2nd Ed). But what about font issues? I struggle enough with the greek as it is

Hey Kasper,indeed having a Biblical Hebrew board would help a lot of people here in this forum. I hope you're doing good in learning Hebrew. If you need any help please let me know by sending me a pm. or maybe you can write it in a new topic here in the open board so the moderators see the demand of a Biblical Hebrew board and finally give in

good luck in your studies

But why is it necessary on Textkit? I love the Hebrew language (I live in Israel, where I speak, read, pray and write Hebrew everyday), but I like that Textkit has a specific (and unfettered) attention to Greek and Latin. The site is specified for these two languages and provides excellent and ample resources for the study of both. Adding Hebrew (or anything else) would increase the need for useful primers/grammars and lexical aids to be uploaded to the main site and simply weigh down the site.

Personally, I find that trying to lead a biblical Hebrew study group online becomes exceptionally difficult, since there is so much involved in the nikkud system (syllabification, long and short vowels, accentuation) that encumbers getting started quickly. There are Hebrew study lists (such as selfstudyhebrew at Yahoo! Groups) specifically dedicated to Hebrew. I just don't see the need of adding such a thing to Textkit. Am I alone in this?

targum wrote:I hope you're doing good in learning Hebrew. If you need any help please let me know by sending me a pm

thank you targum, much appreciated. So far I am faring quite well, perhaps of my experience with other languages, or the good explanations in Weingreen's work.

jaihare wrote:But why is it necessary on Textkit?

In so far as there are various other sources/fora available, i agree it is not necessary. The great benefit of textkit however, mea in sententia, is that it is very well moderated. It is a 'clean' and friendly forum, that does not seek to push any ideology (compare e.g. hebrew4christians.com).

Kasper wrote:In so far as there are various other sources/fora available, i agree it is not necessary. The great benefit of textkit however, mea in sententia, is that it is very well moderated. It is a 'clean' and friendly forum, that does not seek to push any ideology (compare e.g. hebrew4christians.com).

I definitely didn't suggest hebrew4christians.com, which has its own participants for sure, but I would indeed suggest that you look into Berel Bryer's group. The URL is:

I'm sure you can find someone who is eager to start a new beginning biblical Hebrew group. I'd at least check before going forward with calls for a new forum. Generally, they use either Mansoor's Biblical Hebrew: Step by Step (link) or Weingreen's A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew (link). Weingreen can be cumbersome, but I've heard great things about Mansoor's book. I would contact Berel at the URL above and ask him if there's a new group forming for either of these books. If not, perhaps looking into other options would be a good idea.